SOURCES: Brendan J.

Canning, PhD, associate professor of medicine, Johns

Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center; J. Owen Hendley, MD, professor of pediatrics,
University of Virginia School of Medicine; Ronald Turner, professor of pediatrics,
associate dean for clinical research, University of Virginia School of Medicine;
Manuel Seijo-Martinez, MD, head of medical services, Hospital do Salnes,
Villagarcia de Arosa, Pontevedra, Spain | Reporting By Sally Squires And Brenna
Maloney; Graphic By James Smallwood, The Washington Post | Interactive by Brian
Cordyack, washingtonpost.com

According to Salih binAbi-Hammad: “I asked Imam al-Rida -a.s- about the reason
behind thanking Allah for the sneeze. He said: “ Sometimes man forgets Allah’s
blessings regarding his health and the soundness of his body parts. So, Allah would
command the breeze to pass through his body and get out from his nose. Then, man
would thank Allah and that would be a compensation for his forgetfulness.” [Reference:
Al-Wasaíl, from the book of guidelines of companionship]
Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said: “Thank Allah in secret if you sneeze in the toilet; and the one
who sneezes is safe from dying for seven days.” [Al-Bihar, Vol.73: p.53]

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “When someone sneezes more than three times (in a row),
you must say to him, ‘may Allah cure you’ for he is ill.” [Reference: Al-Wasaíl, from the
book of guidelines of companionship]

Imam Jafer al-Sadiq (a.s) said: “If you sneeze during meditating, say ‘ِِAl-hamdu-lillah’
(praise be to God).” [Reference: Al-Wasaíl, from the book of prayer interruption]

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “When someone is saying something and somebody sneezes,
this means that he is saying the truth.” [Reference: Al-Wasaíl, from the book of
guidelines of companionship]

According to Ahmad binMohammad binAbi-Baseer: “I heard Imam al-Rida -a.s- say:

“Yawning is attributed to Satan and sneezing is attributed to Almighty Allah.”
[Reference: Al-Wasaíl, from the book of guidelines of companionship]

the typical response to a sneeze is ‫( يرحمكم الله‬yarhamkom Allah) and the answer is
‫( يرحمكم و يرحمنا‬yarhamkom wa yarhamna) or ً ‫( شكرا‬thank you). However, it is more
common to say Alhamdo lel lah i.e "All praise is for Allah (God)", to which people
will respond Yarhamokomo Allah, meaning "God Bless you

Once Imam Baqir (a.s) was asked, “What is your opinion regarding the sneeze?”
Imam replied, “Though apparently it comes out through the nose, actually it
comes out from all over the body. Have you not observed that the whole body
shakes during a sneeze? Remember! The person who sneezes, is assured of
health for seven days.”